Request for Parole, a grade I winner and millionaire, will stand in 2008 at Vince Tucciarone's Fox Tale Stud in Coopersburg, Penn., as the property of Jeri and Sam Knighton. The 8-year-old son of Judge T C is believed to be the first grade I winner to stand his first season in Pennsylvania.
Request for Parole was a stakes winner at 2 and 3 and as an older runner. He captured the 2001 Ellis Park Juvenile Stakes in just his third start and ran second that year in three stakes, two of which were graded. At 3, he took the John Battaglia Memorial and WEBN Frog Stakes and ran third in the Lane's End Spiral Stakes (gr. II). He then ran fifth in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I).
Switched to the turf for the second half of his career, Request for Parole won the 2004 United Nations Stakes (gr. IT) and Mac Diarmida Handicap (gr. IIIT) and placed in two other graded stakes that year. He also was grade I stakes-placed the following year. Overall, he won 10 of 51 races and earned $1,372,224.
“He’s one of those rare stallions that’s going to appeal to a wide range of breeders because he offers the perfect balance of precocity and durability, sprint speed and route stamina, dirt and turf ability," Tucciarone said. "What’s even more exciting is that with a number of racetracks switching to synthetic surfaces, including the new Presque Isle Downs here in Pennsylvania, Request for Parole’s proven ability over dirt and turf suggests his foals should be able to excel on any surface.”
Request for Parole made his first two starts for his breeders, Robert and Bea Roberts, and the remainder for the Knightons. He was retired in the spring because of a knee injury.
Request for Parole, who is out of the Deputy Minister mare Madison's Quest, will stand in 2008 for $3,500, with a special rate of $2,500 for mares producing registered Pennsylvania-bred foals.